Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
On 11 May New Jersey state senator Jeff Van Drew was scheduled to speak in Millville at the VFW. I attended that meeting. Unfortunately, Van Drew canceled his attendance. He was in a budget meeting with the governor.
I had prepared some questions for him prior to driving over. I just came across those notes. So Sen. Van Drew, will you kindly respond to the following?
- What is your opinion of part-time public employees receiving health benefits? Given that you are a part-time employee, will you advocate canceling all health benefits for New Jersey legislators?
- You encouraged the state to purchase the Beasley’s Point bridge. For years you have called for an influx of $20 million to restore the bridge. The price of the project has ballooned to $32 million, if not more. Libraries are closing, teachers are being let go, police officers are being terminated. Can New Jersey afford to invest in a bridge that few want at this time?
- New Jersey is in the process of applying for Race to the Top grants. The United States Constitution states that if it does not specifically delegate a right to the federal government, it falls to the states or the people. Education is not a fundamental right as held by SCOTUS. Why should New Jersey play along with the federal government to get this money? Doesn’t it weaken the state by subjecting it to the feds?
- Will you name one thing Team Van Drew member Milam has accomplished as an assemblyman that did not involve riding on your or Albano’s coattails?
Posted in New Jersey, Politics | No Comments »
Sunday, June 6th, 2010
I’ve mused over the years that if I ever became an elected official I would do little. It seems to me that politicians do things just to do them much of the time. Rather, I would work at streamlining what has already been done. Strip what is already on the books.
The reality is that government is needlessly complicated. Everything is so entwined it is difficult to unravel what has already been done. It has been going on for so long, it is difficult to even imagine government not providing some services that it does. Reading some of the comments recently about perhaps scuttling the school lunch program seems to support this.
One New Jersey politician that seems to be involved in legislation just to give the appearance of doing something is state senator Jeff Van Drew. Earning the moniker “I Sponsor Every Bill”, Van Drew sponsors more legislation than any other.
At present, Van Drew has introduced legislation that prevents school districts from using any money saved from freezing teacher salaries on anything other than teacher salaries. Yes, that is exactly what his bill would do. Not one penny of the savings could be used for classroom supplies for the students. Remember, education is about the students. Freeze the teacher salaries to gain control of the budget, but Van Drew would not permit the district to use that budget to address academic needs.
Talk to me again how a lie of politicians1 is best to address the educational needs of students.
Legislation like this is needlessly complicated.
1 I love collective nouns. I once read somewhere a suggestion that a group of politicians should be called a lie. I think it is extremely clever and have adopted it.
Posted in Education, New Jersey, Politics | 1 Comment »
Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Every day state senator Jeff Van Drew is in the news. Van Drew will try hard for constituents. Van Drew wants to name a road. Van Drew wants to save the puppies. This media hound knows what works. He has turned this strategy into a political career.
Today’s headline is Van Drew planning hearing to save UEZs. The unnamed article claims the self-promoter will be holding hearings “to discuss the devastating impact of the potential loss of the UEZ program.”
Nothing like rigging the hearing ahead of time.
My question is whether or not the hearing is even warranted. According to Vineland/Millville UEZ site:
The Urban Enterprise Zone Program is a twenty-year program created by the State of New Jersey as a tool to create economic development and employment in distressed cities. The Vineland/Millville Zone is one of twenty-seven zones in New Jersey. Vineland and Millville became active in the Urban Enterprise Zone Program in April 1986.
Van Drew claims his hearing is needed.
“We need to hear the success stories, as well as the shortcomings throughout the state,” he said. “This program has tremendous potential to help bring New Jersey out of this current economic crisis.”
Van Drew has been around as a public servant since 1983. Does Van Drew not know the success stories already? Why squander public time and money on this? That’s right, more headlines. It’s what Van Drew does best.
We all know nothing will come of the hearings.
Back in 2004, Van Drew called another meeting regarding Dallas Airmotive. We’re still waiting on the new tenant there.
Van Drew is ineffective for his constituents.
Posted in New Jersey, Politics | No Comments »
Monday, March 15th, 2010
New Jersey’s 1st District is not served well by its state senator Jeff Van Drew when he proposes legislation that would do little. Van Drew has posted yet another bill. In this one, Van Drew calls for reducing state government’s fleet of 7,000 vehicles.
That sounds great. Then Van Drew softens the effect of the bill by stating that law enforcement and public works be exempt. He further contends that “leniency would be encouraged for employees who need state vehicles to do their jobs.”
What vehicles are left? Why does the state own any vehicle that is not needed for an employee to do his job?
What is really happening is that Van Drew is tossing more legislation onto the pile. He sponsors more bills than any legislator. His name is always in the paper. It sounds great to sponsor a bill that generates the headline NJ Senate panel: slash state car fleet. The impression is that Van Drew is fighting for us; the reality is that he’s re-shuffling the paperwork to garner a headline.
In the polling booth, Van Drew is banking on that you remember his name, not that he didn’t do anything.
Posted in New Jersey, Politics | 2 Comments »
